Oxford air pollution breaches EU guidelines

According to an investigation by The Times, air pollution levels in Oxford breached international health rules at the beginning of 2017.

The levels of nitrogen dioxide, which is believed to cause cancer, was in breach of both European Union and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.

Levels of NO2 are supposed to be below 40 micrograms per cubic meter of air, however, the average between January and the end of March was 48 micrograms.

These figures have led to an increase in calls to crackdown on diesel cars which produce large amounts of NO2.

Oxford is one of 26 areas of 146 that reached nitrogen dioxide levels that breached EU legislation and WHO guidelines.

Jonathan Grigg, professor of paediatric respiratory and environmental medicine at Queen Mary University of London, and founding member of Doctors Against Diesel said there was “overwhelming proof” of the harm caused by air pollution, saying: “diesel fleets should be removed from the roads as soon as possible.”

He continued: “Exposure over a very long time has an insidious effect. It suppresses the lung growth of children; it’s involved in the onset of asthma, a decline in lung function as you age; and there’s emerging evidence of it causing cognitive problems and also reduced growth of foetuses.”